Thanks for stopping by Refresh with Dawn Herring. I hope you enjoy browsing through the postings and get to know me a bit better.
I'm Dawn Herring, host of #JournalChat Live and Links Edition for all things journaling on Twitter and Facebook. I'm also a writer and artist focused on refreshment, journaling, and positive change. Email me at refreshwithdawnherring@gmail.com with any questions or comments you may have. Thanks and enjoy your stay!

Wednesday, November 28, 2012

As an avid journal keeper, I write a summary of each day's events, experiences, and goals met. Of course I write in detail about other things as well, but the issue of what I accomplished sometimes weighs heavily on my mind.

I find myself thinking, What didn't I do today?

I'm sure I can always write a full list of what didn't get done that I either meant to do or simply didn't have time to do.

As I considered this issue, I noticed that my feelings and emotions were getting tied up and weighed down by such a perspective; it certainly wasn't a celebratory energy I was creating.

I knew there was something wrong with this picture. But what to do?

I knew I couldn't pretend to have gotten done what I felt needed doing if I didn't do it, right? I wanted to be a realist about my tasks and to dos.

But that didn't mean I needed to be overbearing with myself over my lack of accomplishment each day.

But that's just it. I WAS accomplishing many things each day. I WAS getting things done. And many of those things are vitally important to me.

So, why wasn't I paying attention to what I WAS doing each day instead of focusing on my "not do" frustration?

That's when I decided to record in my journal what I did do; well, actually, I already do that. But this time I was celebrating what I Did Do instead of just seeing what I accomplished as my status quo, what I simply expect of myself, as what I should be doing.

Celebrating what you do every day is important. It's easy to gloss over doing the laundry. Oh, everybody does laundry. Yes, they do. But you got it done. Everything is neatly folded, right? Or maybe not. But at least it's clean. And that's what matters.

Taking the time to put a smiley face or a check mark or a heart in your journal to show yourself some appreciation for a job well done, is a great way to encourage yourself, to keep at it, and to recognize how you are using your energy for good in your life, in your community, in the world.

Don't dismiss what you have done as something you simply expect of yourself. See it as something worthwhile and pat yourself on the back. Every Day.

Don't skip it. Don't forget it. Don't just keep going on to the next task.
Bask in the moment of what you are doing.

When I began to see what I was accomplishing (and I was surprised when I really took the time to consider it: Wow.), I felt a wonderful shift take place in my energy.

All of a sudden, I felt OPEN. Expansive. Light. Happy.

There was a place for joy, appreciation, validation, and nurture in what I was experiencing.

I felt like my True Authentic Self.

And that's the way it's supposed to be.

So, the next time you're ready to scold yourself for not getting something done, especially if you haven't done it in a while and it's driving you crazy, remember to recognize what you DID do.

Bask in the glow of a job well done. And Smile.
You'll feel energized, lighter and truly YOU.

Accountability: to give a reckoning or explanation for one’s actions, responsible.

When most people think of accountability, they often negatively associate it with answering to others, such as a spouse, a friend, a mentor, or, in most cases, a boss. As a writer, you are your own boss, which is one of the reasons that you need to be accountable to yourself. And it can be a positive experience rather than a negative one.

The first step in being accountable to yourself as a writer is setting goals for your writing and keeping track of projects you want to finish. Incurring a deadline for yourself can help

motivate you in this area. This step can also include daily writing goals. Some authors plan how many words or pages per day they will write.

I’ve set goals for myself as a writer by making them reachable and attainable. This year I have set a goal to write at least one scene for my novel per week and at least one other piece,

whether it be memoir or essay, per week. That can mean just making notes, writing a first draft, or revising a draft.

As long as your goals keep you moving forward and you’re making progress, then you know you’re headed in the right direction.

Once you have your goals set, the next step in accountability to yourself is writing down what you accomplish each day. You can use a daily calendar just for writing or keep track of your

daily accomplishments on your computer. I designed a custom monthly writing calendar. It helps me track what I write daily, whether or not I’ve met my goal for the week, and it has

space for ideas for future writing pieces. I also have a spot to keep track of books I’m reading for that month. I use abbreviations to keep the daily writing easier and to save space. As I review each completed month, I can go back to see what I’ve accomplished and keep track of when I wrote each piece.

Whether you use something pre-made or customize something for yourself, use whatever works for you and helps you stay accountable to yourself.

A third, and perhaps most important, aspect in accountability in your writing is taking care of yourself as a writer. Than can mean giving yourself space and not being hard on yourself if

you don’t reach your goals each day or each week.

Flexibility and refreshment are paramount to your health as a writer. It also frees up your creativity and can actually help you produce more quality writing in the long run.

I enjoy writing in my journal, reading fiction or memoir, and watching a good movie with my family. Taking a walk, listening to music, talking with your family members, and just taking time to sit and enjoy life are all ways you can be good to

yourself—and ultimately accountable—as a writer.

Learn to celebrate your accomplishments and your uniqueness as a writer. That’s one of the best ways to be accountable—to yourself!

A 21 Day Refresh Intensive E-Course!

Dawn is now offering a 21 Day Refresh Intensive Course that enables you to Activate Your Intuition, Honor Your Preferences and Listen to Your Life Messages. It is available for purchase as a downloadable PDF so you can take it any time for your refreshment!

About Me

Dawn is a watercolor and collage artist, writer, Host of #JournalChat Live and Creative and Social Media Consultant. She enjoys sharing insights, humor, and encouragement as she shares from her life experiences. She enjoys keeping a journal and reading spiritual texts to help keep the light on. Hope you enjoy perusing the blog posts and in the process, get to know her a bit better. Enjoy your stay!

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You can check out my website: www.dawnherring.net. There you will find info on my writing services, my bio and journaling resources and my book, The Birthday Wall: Create a Collage to Celebrate Your Child. Enjoy your stay!

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#JournalChat Live is on the First Sunday of each month at 4 EST/1 PST on Twitter. Check out my new blog to sign up for Refresh Journal which will give you all the details!

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If you desire to discover what Your Authentic Refreshment might be so you can enhance and benefit your life, you'll welcome to purchase a 30 minute Refresh Session with Dawn **by phone or Skype, initiating the discovery process toward Your Authentic Refreshment. (A 30 Minute Refresh Session is $75.)

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My eBook: The Birthday Wall: Create a Collage to Celebrate Your Child

I'm so excited to share with you my new ebook, The Birthday Wall: Create a Collage to Celebrate Your Child.

The Birthday Wall is my detailed, step-by-step instructional book that shows how to create a multi-dimensional, colorful visual collage to help celebrate your child's Birthday. As creator of this family tradition, I share how to research, plan, gather, create and display all the elements of your child's birthday wall which can help affirm, validate, and show appreciation for your child.

Follow this link which takes you to the Parent to Parent page of HSLDA's Home School Court Report. In their Sept/Oct 2009 edition and on this page, My reason for Homeschooling has been published under Dawn H. You're welcome to check it out!